Differences in Haryana government come out in the open over Khemka transfer

Chandigarh: Differences in the Haryana government on the Ashok Khemka transfer issue came out in the open on Thursday with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Transport Minister describing the decision as "routine" while the

Chandigarh: Differences in the Haryana government on the Ashok Khemka transfer issue came out in the open on Thursday with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Transport Minister describing the decision as "routine" while the Health Minister came out in support of the whistleblower IAS officer.

Seeking to downplay the issue, Khattar said the transfer of Khemka, a 1991-batch officer, was an administrative matter and should not be seen as handing out any kind of punishment to him.

"The transfer of any officer formed part of the administrative process. It (Khemka's transfer) is an administrative matter. Every officer is deputed by the government wherever his services are required," Khattar told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Hisar on Thursday.

However, Haryana's Health Minister Anil Vij came out in Khemka's support, saying he will talk to the Chief Minister regarding the officer "who had worked to weed out corruption during the previous Congress regime".

When asked about the decision, Vij told reporters in Ambala, "I will talk to the Chief Minister regarding Khemka's transfer. I will try to find out the reasons why he has been transferred and I will be able to throw more light only after having talked to the Chief Minister."

Vij, an outspoken BJP leader and Ambala Cantt MLA, said he had always stood by Khemka, "who had worked to weed out corruption during the previous Congress regime". Toeing the Chief Minister's line, Haryana's Transport Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said, "Transfer is not a punishment, a promotion or demotion. Transfer of senior officers is a routine matter. There is nothing special or extraordinary about it," he said.